Eastern District of Kentucky
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney Duncan Announces Grant Funds to Improve Services for Crime Victims in Eastern District of KentuckyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr., announced on Tuesday $1,892,160 in Department of Justice grants to improve services for crime victims in the Eastern District of Kentucky. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of over $144 million distributed to enhance the response to victims of crime throughout the United States.
“The Department of Justice is steadfast in its commitment to protecting public safety and bringing justice to those who have been victimized,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The investments we are making today will support service providers as they work to secure the legal rights of victims and put survivors of criminal acts on the road to recovery.”
The awards made to organizations in the Eastern District of Kentucky will advance the use of technology, improve community preparedness and law enforcement training and provide emergency and transitional shelter to assist victims of crime. Programs will also support victims of child abuse and fund research projects related to perpetrators and victims of elder abuse. Approximately $64.3 million was awarded under Office for Victims of Crime grant programs; over $54.1 million was awarded under Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention programs; over $19.9 million was awarded under Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking grant programs; and nearly $5.7 million was awarded under two National Institute of Justice grant programs.
“Protecting the public and pursuing justice on behalf of crime victims are core priorities for our Office and for the Department of Justice,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “The grant funds awarded by DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs will be used to help crime victims in the Eastern District of Kentucky.”
“As lockdowns and lawlessness fuel crime in America’s homes and communities, more people are vulnerable to victimization and those who have been victimized face new hurdles,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving our victim service partners the tools they need to better serve their clients and protect victims’ rights.”
The following organizations received funding:
- Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet- $400,000
- Mountain Comprehensive Care Center - $700,000
- Volunteers of America Mid-States- $700,000
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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South Carolina Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Mail Fraud Conspiracy, Theft from Employee Benefit Plans, and Unlawful Storage of Hazardous WasteRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A South Carolina man, Aaron Micah Jamison, 45, who formerly resided in Lexington, was sentenced in federal court on Thursday, September 24, to 36 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for theft from an employee benefits plan, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and unlawful storage of hazardous waste.
According to his plea agreement, Jamison was the CEO of Micah Group, LLC, which offered construction and remediation services to the energy and environmental sectors. Jamison admitted that from March 4, 2016 to October 30, 2016, he knowingly failed to remit employees’ 401(k) contributions that had been withheld from their paychecks, totaling over $30,000.00, and diverted them for his personal use and the use of his businesses. Jamison also admitted that from April 2, 2017 through April 28, 2017, he failed to remit withheld pre-tax health contributions of the Micah Group’s employees to its health insurer, totaling $4,843.73.
The Micah Group also performed abandonment of ground water monitoring wells at numerous sites around the state of Kentucky, including gas stations, convenience stores, and other private property, and sought payment for such work from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet. On multiple occasions, Jamison admitted to signing documents falsely representing that the wells had been properly abandoned in order to bring income to the Micah Group and to ensure that him and other employees were paid. At sentencing, the court determined that between 2013 and 2017, the false representations made by Jamison and his co-conspirators caused approximately $640,000 in loss to the state.
Finally, Jamison admitted to unlawfully storing hazardous waste at Micah Group’s premises at various points in time between January 2016 and December 2017.
Jamison pleaded guilty in January 2020.
“The defendant stole from his employees and lied to state authorities to further his own interests,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “His conduct not only financially harmed his employees, and caused the state to spend money to clean up his mess, but he also potentially put the public at risk by failing to properly monitor ground water wells and store hazardous materials. I commend the cooperation and work of the investigative agencies involved, as their efforts helped hold the defendant accountable for his actions.”
"The defendant was paid to transport hazardous waste as defined under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Mr. Jamison chose to illegally store the hazardous waste and place the public, and environment at risk” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno of the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Atlanta, GA.
"Criminal acts like this directly impact participants in employee benefit plans by compromising their hard-earned benefits and eroding confidence in those chosen to manage their trust. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration is committed to ensuring the integrity of employee benefit programs,” said Employee Benefits Security Administration Regional Director Joe Rivers, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Under federal law, Jamison must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years. In addition, Jamison was ordered to pay $640,638.31 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Duncan, SAC Carfagno, and Director Rivers made the announcement.
The investigation was pursued by the United States Secret Service, Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division and Office of Inspector General, and the United States Department of Labor with assistance by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Greenfield and Kate Anderson.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Los Angeles Woman Sentenced to 168 Months for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Los Angeles woman, Katherine E. Matthews, 41, was sentenced in federal court on Friday, to 168 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for conspiring to distribute cocaine and marijuana, along with conspiring to commit money laundering offenses.
According to testimony at trial, Matthews partnered with Robert W. Carlson to move cocaine, belonging to the Sinaloa Cartel, from California to Eastern cities including Lexington, Louisville, New York, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Miami, using private planes. Over the course of the conspiracy, Matthews moved thousands of kilograms of cocaine to these cities. She also brought millions of dollars from the Eastern cities back to California, to be handed over to the cartel.
Matthews was convicted in April 2020. Her charges stemmed from a larger investigation into drug trafficking and money laundering activities that was precipitated by a drug seizure from a private plane that arrived, from Van Nuys Airport in Southern California, at Bluegrass Airport in Lexington, in April 2017.
Before Matthews’s trial, several other defendants involved in the conspiracy pleaded guilty. Carlson pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in February 2018. In his plea agreement, Carlson admitted to conspiring with Isaac Basilio Rosas, Cedric Allen Oronce Fajardo, and others to transport and distribute drugs found on the plane that landed in Lexington in April 2017. Carlson also admitted to planning and organizing that trip. Carlson was sentenced to 200 months in prison and five years of supervised release in October 2019. Basilio Rosas pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in January 2018. He was sentenced to 108 months in prison in May 2018. Oronce Fajardo pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in July 2017. He was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment in June 2020.
Two other defendants, Robert Earl Wallace and Kendra Michelle Caprice Tally also pleaded guilty for their roles in the drug conspiracy. In February 2020, Wallace pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine. Wallace, a private pilot, admitted in his plea agreement that he flew as many as ten trips for Carlson and his associates, where drugs and/or drug proceeds were moved to locations across the country. Wallace admitted that he did at least one of those trips after he learned the trips’ purpose and that that trip involved moving at least 80 kilograms of cocaine. Wallace was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment on October 2, 2020, and he also received five years of supervised release.
Tally, who was a passenger on a flight that landed in Lexington in April 2017, with cocaine and methamphetamine on the plane, pleaded guilty in February 2020 to the felony offense of lying to federal agents. She admitted in her plea agreement that she knew that there were controlled substances on the flight, but falsely told Homeland Security agents that she did not know the plane was carrying controlled substances. Tally was sentenced to a three-year term of probation.
Under federal law, Matthews must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for eight years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky ; Steven L. Igyarto, Resident Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and Rodney L. Brewer, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Kentucky State Police conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration. The United States was represented in this case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dmitry Slavin, Roger West, and Will Moynahan.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Erlanger Man Sentenced to 150 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky.- An Erlanger, Ky., man, Justin Frank, 30, was sentenced in federal court on Friday to 150 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, Frank admitted that on October 25, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence, finding 176.5 grams of methamphetamine and other items consistent with drug trafficking in a safe in his room. On February 7, 2020, law enforcement served an arrest warrant for Frank and found him with an additional 51 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, marijuana, and cash.
Frank pleaded guilty in June 2020.
Under federal law, Frank must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Detroit Field Division; Christopher Conners, Director of the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force; Chief Col. Kyle Rader, Erlanger Police Department; and Chief Spike Jones, Kenton County Police Department, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by the DEA, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, Erlanger Police Department, and the Kenton County Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to 148 Months for Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, KY- A Detroit, Michigan, man, Dayquan Dejon Johnson, 23, was sentenced in federal court on Friday to 148 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to his plea agreement, Johnson admitted that since at least 2018, he conspired with Dejon Johnson, Melinda Parks, Melissa Shortridge, and others to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Johnson pleaded guilty in May 2020.
Johnson’s co-defendants have been sentenced. Dejon Johnson received 46 months and four years of supervised release; Parks received 78 months and five years of supervised release; and Shortridge received 70 months and three years of supervised release.
In addition to the prison sentence, Johnson was ordered to pay a $3,500 fine. Under federal law, Johnson and his co-defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence. Upon his release, Johnson will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jeffrey T. Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville; made the announcement. The investigation was pursued by DEA, KSP, and the Winchester Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Greenfield.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Covington Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. - A Covington man, Robert Copeland, 43, was sentenced in federal court on Friday, to 63 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, after previously admitting to conspiring with others to distribute crack cocaine.
In his plea agreement, Copeland admitted that he conspired with another individual Dennis Duane Free to distribute crack cocaine between October 1, 2018 and April 2, 2019. During this time, law enforcement conducted control buys of crack cocaine from Free.
Copeland pleaded guilty in June 2020. Free, Copeland’s co-defendant, was sentenced in May 2020 and received 132 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
Under federal law, Copeland must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and James Robert Brown, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by the FBI Safe Street’s Task Force. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wade Napier.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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West Virginia Pharmacist Sentenced to 120 Months for Drug Trafficking in Eastern KentuckyRead the Press Release
PIKEVILLE, KY- - Jackson Noel, 62, a pharmacist operating Buffalo Drug Inc., located in Buffalo, West Virginia, was sentenced in federal court on Wednesday, to 120 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for conspiring to illegally dispense and distribute oxycodone and oxymorphone.
Evidence at trial established that as part of the conspiracy Noel unlawfully dispensed oxycodone and oxymorphone pills from the pharmacy to out-of-state customers, including customers from Kentucky. Noel dispensed the pills on a cash only basis.
According to evidence at trial, Noel began conspiring and distributing the drugs in June 2015 through December 2016 in Pike County, the Eastern District of Kentucky, and elsewhere.
Noel pleaded guilty in September 2019.
Noel will be required to pay $100,000 in community restitution. Under federal law, Noel must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jeffrey T. Scott , Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Daniel Cameron, Attorney General of Kentucky; and Rodney Brewer, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police jointly announced the jury’s verdict.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, KSP, Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, the Putnam County, West Virginia, Sheriff’s Office, and the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Dotson.
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Two Indicted for Failing to Register as Sex OffendersRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – In separate indictments, two men residing in Salt Lick, Ky., Clinton Anthony Peterson, 29, and Brandon Phillip Camous, 27, were indicted on Thursday, on federal charges of failing to register as sex offenders.
The indictments allege that from January 2016, continuing through September 17, 2020, both Peterson and Camous resided in Nicholas County and elsewhere; and while living there, they failed to register under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Both were charged with knowingly failing to register under SORNA, after qualifying prior convictions.
The investigation preceding the indictments was conducted jointly by the U.S. Marshals Service and Kentucky State Police.
Peterson is scheduled to appear before the United States District Court, in Lexington, on October 8, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. Camous is scheduled to appear on October 5, 2020 at 11 a.m. If convicted, both face a maximum of 10 years in prison. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statutes governing the imposition of sentences.
Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Kansas Man Indicted for Threatening Communications to Kentucky Attorney GeneralRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. - Wesley Forrest Clay, 29, of Olathe, Kan., was indicted on Thursday in the Eastern District of Kentucky, for federal charges of sending threatening communications in interstate commerce.
The indictment follows a criminal complaint which was filed last week in the Eastern District of Kentucky. The criminal complaint alleged that, on September 23, 2020, Clay called the Kentucky Attorney General’s telephone line in Frankfort that was dedicated to the Breonna Taylor investigation. On the call he stated his name, telephone number, and then said among other things, “You will die if you do not give Breonna Taylor justice. That is a threat. Try me.”
“Sending threatening communications in interstate commerce, over the telephone or via the internet, is grave conduct and can lead to potential federal prosecution,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Law enforcement simply must treat these matters very seriously.”
“Threatening harm to our elected officials is a far cry from protected-speech and subjects people to vigorous investigation and potential federal prosecution,” said Russell Coleman, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “As we are constantly reminded there are no longer geographic lines between law enforcement agencies and districts as we work collaborate to mitigate the threat to Kentuckians.”
“Sending threatening communications not only takes an emotional toll on the victim, but it also unnecessarily drains law enforcement resources. Threats are not jokes. You will be charged and arrested with a federal crime,” said James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office.” FBI Louisville will continue to work closely with our partners across the country to ensure elected officials can perform the duties of their office safely.”
The investigation preceding the charge was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisville Field Office, with assistance from the Kansas City Field Office.
Clay’s next scheduled appearance is on October 8, 2020 at 11 a.m. in Lexington, Ky.. If convicted, Clay faces up to 5 years in prison. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of sentences.
Any charge is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Frankfort Woman Sentenced to 60 Months for Money Laundering and Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, KY- A Frankfort woman, Lesley Wade, age, was sentenced in federal court on Friday to 60 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, for money laundering and filing a materially false tax return.
Wade was a long time employee of the Franklin County Board of Education (FCBOE), most recently serving as the FCBOE’s Financial Director. In Wade’s guilty plea agreement, she admitted that, starting in February 2011 and continuing through about June 25, 2019, she wrote unauthorized checks of FCBOE money to herself, then falsified the necessary FCBOE records and invoices to cover up her crimes.
Wade also served as Treasurer of Leestown Gospel Church in Frankfort, where she essentially had plenary control over its financial management, with little oversight or internal controls. Wade also admitted to periodically using her control over the Church’s finances to launder money she had stolen from the FCBOE, using the Church’s account before writing checks to herself, attempting to avoid detection and making the checks appear legitimate.
Her theft of funds, which took place over a term of years, resulted in the FCBOE losing a total of $1,624,593. Further hiding her theft of funds, Wade also admitted that she willfully filed false individual income tax returns, for the years 2011-2018, by intentionally failing to report the income from her fraudulent scheme. The total amount of tax loss is $315,677.
Wade pleaded guilty in May 2020.
“The defendant’s conduct is truly outrageous - she harmed the citizens of Franklin County and abused her position of trust by stealing money from Board of Education and then used her church’s bank account to launder some of the stolen money,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “We remain committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute embezzlement, including cases involving public employees, and violations of the tax laws.”
"Placed in a position of trust, the defendant methodically stole money from the public and then attempted to cover it up by laundering money through her church,” said Robert James Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office. “The FBI will not stand for officials who steal from the taxpayers they serve and, along with our partners, will continue the significant work of rooting out corruption and fraud.”
“Income derived from any source, including embezzled funds, is subject to income tax,” stated Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to holding accountable individuals who steal and fail to comply with the tax laws.”
Under federal law, Wade must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
U.S. Attorney Duncan; SAC Brown, and SAC Jackson; jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and IRS. The United States was represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Chapman.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Owner of Bitcoin Exchange Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy for Laundering Millions of Dollars in International Cyber Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Bulgarian national was found guilty today for his role in a transnational and multi-million dollar scheme to defraud American victims through online auction fraud.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. of the Eastern District of Kentucky, Assistant Director Michael D’Ambrosio of U.S. Secret Service’s Office of Investigations and Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer made the announcement.
Rossen Iossifov, 53, formerly of Bulgaria, was convicted by a federal jury in Frankfort, Kentucky of one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering after a two-week trial in front of U.S. District Judge Robert E. Wier. Sentencing has been set for Jan. 12, 2021.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Iossifov and his co-conspirators participated in a criminal conspiracy that engaged in a large-scale scheme of online auction fraud that victimized at least 900 Americans. Specifically, Romania-based members of the conspiracy posted false advertisements to popular online auction and sales websites—such as Craigslist and eBay—for high-cost goods (typically vehicles) that did not actually exist. Members of the conspiracy would convince American victims to send money for the advertised goods by crafting persuasive narratives, for example, by impersonating a military member who needed to sell the advertised item before deployment.
According to court documents, members of the conspiracy created fictitious online accounts to post these advertisements and communicate with victims, often using the stolen identities of Americans to do so. They also delivered invoices to the victims bearing trademarks of reputable companies in order to make the transaction appear legitimate. Members of the conspiracy also set up call centers, impersonating customer support, to address questions and alleviate concerns over the advertisements.
According to court documents, once victims were convinced to send payment, the conspiracy participants engaged in a complicated money laundering scheme wherein domestic associates would accept victim funds, convert these funds to cryptocurrency, and transfer proceeds in the form of cryptocurrency to foreign-based money launderers.
According to evidence presented at trial, Iossifov was the owner of RG Coins, a Bulgaria-based Bitcoin exchange. From at least September 2015 to at least December 2018, he exchanged cryptocurrency into local fiat currency on behalf of the Romania-based members of the conspiracy, knowing that the Bitcoin represented the proceeds of illegal activity. According to trial testimony, for example, in just the span of about two and a half years, Iossifov exchanged over $4.9 million worth of Bitcoin for just four other members of the criminal enterprise.
Seventeen total defendants have been convicted in this case. Three others are fugitives.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, Kentucky State Police, Lexington Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and supported by the Justice Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and the International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2). Assistance was provided by the Romanian National Police (Service for Combating Cybercrime) and the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (Agency for Prosecuting Organized Crime). The Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section provided significant support and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support in securing and coordinating the arrests and extraditions from Romania of more than a dozen defendants.
The United States was represented at trial by Senior Counsel Frank H. Lin of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn M. Anderson and Kenneth R. Taylor of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky. The case is additionally being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Timothy C. Flowers of CCIPS.
Individuals believing they may be victims of the advanced fee and online auction fraud or brute-force attack schemes described herein are encouraged to visit the following website to obtain more information: https://justice.gov/usao-edky/information-victims-large-cases. Tips to avoid becoming a victim of online auction fraud can be found here on the U.S. Secret Service’s website.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Lexington Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Large-Scale Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Lexington man, Guadalupe Ramos, 28, was sentenced in federal court on Monday, to 240 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams of more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and marijuana.
According to his plea agreement, in November 2019, law enforcement agents identified Ramos as a drug trafficker distributing significant quantities of methamphetamine out of two residences in Lexington. On January 9, 2020, agents with DEA and ATF executed a search warrant on one of the residences, seizing 3.62 kilograms of methamphetamine, 12,500 fentanyl pills, approximately 50 pounds of marijuana, 156 grams of heroin, and a packing press. A search of the second residence revealed an additional 138 grams of methamphetamine, a .40 caliber revolver, a .38 caliber revolver, a rifle, scales, and marijuana.
Ramos pleaded guilty in May 2020.
“Fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, are responsible for the majority of overdose deaths that occur across the Commonwealth, and the defendant possessed large quantities of drugs with the intent to distribute them” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “He also possessed a sizeable quantity of marijuana and multiple firearms. The cooperation of federal and state law enforcement stopped the defendant from further harming this community through distribution of these dangerous drugs. He will now face the deserved consequences of his actions.”
Under federal law, Ramos must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Jeffrey T. Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by ATF and DEA. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a focused enforcement effort that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Lexington Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Possession of Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, KY- A Lexington man, David Lynn Carlin, 41, was sentenced in federal court on Monday to 120 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to his plea agreement, on August 7, 2019, law enforcement and EMTs responded to a report of an unconscious person, later identified as Carlin. Officers and emergency personnel were able to revive Carlin, and during that response observed multiple firearms. Later that day, a search warrant was obtained and officers returned to the residence where Carlin was uncooperative and barricaded himself in the residence. Upon Carlin’s arrest, officers found six firearms in the residence and two additional firearms in a vehicle. Carlin admitted that he was a convicted felon and was not permitted to own a firearm.
Carlin was previously convicted of Trafficking a Controlled Substance First Degree in Fayette Circuit Court in March 2013. He was also previously convicted of Assault Second Degree by Fayette Circuit Court in February 1999.
Carlin pleaded guilty in January 2020.
Under federal law, Carlin must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by ATF and the Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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U.S. Attorney Duncan Announces Results in Fight Against the Opioid Crisis Two Years After Launch of Operation S.O.S.Read the Press Release
LEXINGTON, KY- In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced the launch of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S), a program aimed at reducing the supply of synthetic opioids in 10 high impact areas, including the Eastern District of Kentucky, and identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
Under Operation SOS, the United States Attorneys in 10 districts with some of the highest drug overdose death rates in the country each designated a county where they would focus on prosecuting every readily available case involving fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and other synthetic opioids, regardless of the drug quantity.
“The Justice Department’s commitment to fighting the opioids epidemic is stronger than ever, and we are using every tool in our arsenal to disrupt the supply of these drugs on our streets,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “Operation SOS has had a significant positive impact on the communities where it is being employed. The Department will continue to build on these successes and work to stop the drug traffickers who so callously wreck lives.”
“Operation SOS has helped us remove deadly fentanyl from Fayette County, almost certainly saving lives,” said U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. “Yet, even with the progress made that has been made, we still recognize there is still more work to be done. Along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we remain committed to devoting all available tools to combat the drug crisis, including our focus on aggressively pursuing charges against fentanyl traffickers, conducting community outreach and education, and encouraging those who need help to seek treatment.”
According to the 2019 Overdose Fatality Report, released by the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy, five counties in the Eastern District of Kentucky had the highest OD death rate per capita in the Commonwealth. Opioids, including fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, accounted for the largest number of deaths. The largest decrease of overdose deaths occurred in Fayette County, where Operation SOS has been employed. Fayette County had 22 fewer Kentucky resident fatalities in 2019 compared to 2018.
Nationally, since 2018, Operation SOS has resulted in approximately 750 defendants being charged in federal court, with 384 of those defendants charged thus far in FY 20. Most importantly, the districts participating in the program have seen a decline in opioid overdoses. From 2017 to 2019, most SOS counties reported a decline of 14 percent to 24 percent. One notable success was in the Western District of Pennsylvania, where the opioid overdose rates declined by nearly 45 percent.
- The Eastern District of California has reported 60 active Operation S.O.S. investigations. Recently, the USAO charged one sentence-enhanced “death resulting” prosecution. In February 2020, another investigation resulted in the seizure of over 20,000 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills.
- The District of Maine reported a July 2020 arrest of a defendant on charges of distributing counterfeit fentanyl pills marked as Percocet, in connection with a fatal fentanyl overdose that occurred in May 2020. In addition, a Maine man was sentenced in February 2020 to five years in prison for two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, in connection with an incident where the defendant was found in possession of fentanyl less than 24 hours after he was released on a state summons for possession of fentanyl.
- The District of New Hampshire reported the October 2019 arrest of a man on a warrant for distributing fentanyl. Manchester Police Detectives executed a search warrant on a local drug-house, where they located approximately 850 grams of methamphetamine and 56 grams of fentanyl, several assault-style rifles, a handgun, ammunition, scales, safes, cash, and cellphones.
- The Northern District of Ohio reported a 10-defendant wire case involving a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating out of Elyria and Sandusky, Ohio. The DTO purchased kilogram quantities of cocaine and oxycodone pills. Co-conspirators would later cook the cocaine and sell it as crack to local dealers in Elyria. During the conspiracy, agents seized approximately ½ kilo of cocaine, 100 grams of crack, oxycodone pills, and five firearms.
- The Southern District of Ohio reported the arrest of an individual who had previously served a nine-year state prison sentence for drug trafficking. On October 22, 2019, after law enforcement observed activity consistent with drug transactions, including the delivery of what appeared to be a kilogram of narcotics by a courier, members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force executed a search warrant at a residence in Dayton, Ohio, where they located three firearms, 1,205 grams of methamphetamine, 1,716 grams of fentanyl, 305 grams of heroin, drug processing equipment, and 12 cellular telephones. One of the recovered cellular telephones contained photographs of multiple kilograms of fentanyl and communications with a narcotics supplier. Through subsequent investigation, law enforcement recovered an additional 19.5 kilograms of fentanyl/carfentanil.
- The Western District of Pennsylvania prosecuted 98 SOS cases thus far in FY 2020. Particularly noteworthy among them is the prosecution of Lynell Guyton. Guyton was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of cyclopropyl fentanyl and other charges, including firearms and money laundering violations. Guyton, who had been receiving shipments of fentanyl analogues from China, is both a Career Offender and an Armed Career Criminal. The case gained media attention when, during the execution of a search warrant in connection with the charges, the conspirators tipped over a table, sending cyclopropyl fentanyl into the air, sickening several law enforcement officers on the scene.
- The Eastern District of Tennessee reported multiple cases arising out of a single investigation involving a drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking heroin and fentanyl from Michigan to various communities in the Eastern District of Tennessee. 29 defendants have been indicted on various charges, including drug trafficking conspiracy, overdose death enhancements, money-laundering conspiracy, and various firearms offenses. More than 5.5 kilograms of heroin and/or fentanyl and 11 firearms were seized during the investigation.
- The Northern District of West Virginia reported a July 21, 2020, forty-four count indictment against 12 defendants. During the nearly yearlong investigation, law enforcement officers seized more than 280 grams of cocaine base and more than 40 grams of fentanyl from one of the defendant’s residences in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Throughout the investigation, officers seized more than 280 grams of fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and heroin; more than 350 grams of cocaine base; more than one kilogram of liquid PCP; various amounts of cocaine; five firearms; and over $28,000.
- The Southern District of West Virginia reported that after a three-day trial, a jury in the convicted Steven McCallister of distribution of fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Officers conducted a 50-gram purchase of heroin from McCallister, which then led to the execution of a search warrant at McCallister’s home. Officers seized over one kilogram of fentanyl and a firearm.
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Executives of Lexington Medical Companies Sentenced for Defrauding the United States of TaxesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Ann Sonderman Giles, 56, and Lu Anne Wallace, 66, both of Lexington, were sentenced on Monday, before U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 30 months and 33 months, respectively, for conspiring to defraud the United States.
According to their plea agreements, Giles and Wallace operated various health care related companies in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Giles as the Chief Executive Officer and Wallace as the Chief Financial Officer. They admitted to knowingly failing to pay over to the IRS mandated trust fund taxes derived from the operations of their companies, including federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes that had been withheld from their employees’ paychecks. Giles and Wallace further admitted that between January 2014 and July 2017, they conspired to defraud the United States out of $1,595,725 in tax revenue. .
Giles and Wallace pleaded guilty in June 2020.
In addition to their respective terms of incarceration, Giles and Wallace were ordered to pay $1,595,725 to the IRS in restitution, jointly and severally. Under federal law, Giles and Wallace must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years, respectively.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; and Rafiq Ahmad, Special Agent in Charge, DOL Office of Inspector General, jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the IRS and Department of Labor. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Moynahan.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Louisville Man Convicted of Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. - A Louisville man was convicted Thursday, by a federal jury sitting in Covington, of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and firearm offenses.
After three hours of deliberation, following a three-day trial, the jury convicted 31-year-old Quinn Turner of conspiracy to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The evidence at trial established that Turner distributed multiple pounds of crystal methamphetamine, on an ongoing basis from June 1, 2018 through October 3, 2018, both directly and through associates. Evidence also established that he used firearms to assist in his offense. Turner was arrested in Boone County, Kentucky, on October 3, 2018, when he arrived at a store with a pound of pure crystal methamphetamine that he planned to distribute. He was also in possession of a firearm when arrested. Turner had been released from state prison in November 2017, after serving a 12-year sentence for armed bank robbery.
Tuner was charged in a superseding indictment, in September 2019.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Keith W. Martin, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the verdict.
The investigation was conducted by DEA and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tony Bracke and Kyle Winslow.
Turner will appear for sentencing on a date to be determined by the court. For the methamphetamine charges, he faces a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. For the firearm offenses, he faces a minimum of five years, consecutive to any other sentence. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
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Dayton Man Sentenced to 140 Months for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. - A Dayton, Ohio man, Robert Amos, 33, was sentenced in federal court on Monday, to 140 months in prison, before U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for possession with intention to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to his plea agreement, Amos admitted that when he was stopped by law enforcement, he was in possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl for distribution.
Amos pleaded guilty in May 2020.
Under federal law, Amos must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for six years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and J.T. Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by DEA and the FADE Drug Task Force. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Ashland Woman Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A former office manager for a state child support agency admitted in federal court on Friday that she defrauded a state agency, embezzling significant funds.
Mary Elizabeth Pickett, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, before U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning.
According to Pickett’s plea agreement, between January 4, 2013, and September 20, 2019, while she was the office manager of the Boyd County Child Support Enforcement Office (“BCCSEO”), Pickett misappropriated BCCSEO funds for her own personal use and benefit. As part of Pickett’s scheme to embezzle BCCSEO funds, she submitted false payroll documents to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, falsely reporting that an employee had worked 40 hours per week, when in fact the employee had only worked 14 hours. Pickett then wrote herself checks for the difference. In total, Pickett embezzled $126,313.90. In connection with the scheme, Pickett also admitted to knowingly forging the signature of her supervisor, the contracting official of the BCCSEO, without his knowledge or permission.
Pickett was charged by way of information, waiving her right to indictment by a federal grand jury.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Commissioner Rodney Brewer, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate K. Smith.
Pickett is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2020, in Ashland. She faces up to 20 years in prison for the mail fraud, a minimum of two years for the identity theft, and a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes.
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U.S. Attorney Duncan Announces $882,800 in Awards to Improve School SafetyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr., of the Eastern District of Kentucky, announced that Anderson County Board of Education, Fayette County Board of Education, and Whitley County Board of Education will receive $26,794, $499,355, and $356,651, respectively, from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP).
Nationally, the COPS Office SVPP awarded nearly $50 million in school safety funding. SVPP provides up to 75 percent funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.
“While this school year has started in a non-traditional manner for many schools across the Commonwealth and around the country, these local award recipients can still utilize these funds to prepare for in-school sessions, by improving school safety for when students do return to the classroom,” said U.S. Attorney Duncan. “COPS awards like these are critical to supporting our school safety programs and protecting our kids.”
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The three awards announced today can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security. The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf.
In addition to the school safety grants announced today, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Lexington Man Convicted of Multiple Counts of Sex and Drug Trafficking and Related Offenses, Including Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, KY- A Lexington, Ky., man, Prince Bixler, 41, was convicted on Wednesday by a federal jury in Frankfort, Ky., for charges related to his extensive and violent sex and drug trafficking operation that sold crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine throughout the Lexington area and forced young, drug-addicted women to prostitute.
After 6.5 hours following a 7-day trial, the jury convicted Bixler of three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; two counts of tampering with a witness, victim or an informant; one count of operating an unlawful prostitution business as an interstate racketeering enterprise; six counts of distributing controlled substances including crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine; and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented at trial, including the testimony of four victims, established that defendant Prince Bixler compelled four victims into prostitution between 2013 and March 2018 by physically assaulting them and others, and weakening the victims by worsening their addictions to crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. The defendant also sold crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine throughout the Lexington area to numerous customers. The Lexington Police Department executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in March 2018, which led to the recovery of numerous firearms. The defendant, a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing these and other firearms.
As the investigation into the defendant’s illegal conduct continued throughout 2018 into 2019, he became aware that multiple potential witnesses were subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury in Lexington. The defendant threatened one witness with physical violence in an attempt to dissuade her from testifying truthfully before the grand jury. The defendant also repeatedly called and harassed another witness on the eve of her scheduled grand jury appearance in an attempt to prevent her from testifying truthfully before the grand jury.
Bixler was indicted in June 2019.
“Prince Bixler used violence and threats of violence to create a climate of fear to trap these young women, while at the same time increasing their dependence on him by worsening their addictions to crack cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. “Human traffickers are adept at exploiting victims’ drug addictions and using coercive tactics to intimidate and compel their services. There can be no place in our society for conduct like this defendant’s, and the Department of Justice will continue its vigorous efforts to hold human traffickers accountable, bring justice to their victims, and prevent them from harming others.”
“The hard work, dedication, and cooperation of law enforcement from state and federal agencies have made our community safer and brought some measure of justice to the victims of Prince Bixler,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “His conduct was truly despicable, and will serve to strengthen our resolve to combat the destructive exploitation of human traffickers. I commend the members of the investigative and prosecution teams for their committed work in prosecuting this case.”
“Today’s conviction is yet another example of the FBI’s commitment to bring justice to those who exploit the most vulnerable members of our community,” said James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office. “When human beings are treated as commodities, they are not only being abused physically, but emotionally and financially. FBI Louisville will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and disrupt those who engage in human trafficking.”
“Human trafficking is a violent crime with victims whose fear of reprisal often keeps them from getting help,” stated Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Division. “What began as a drug and firearms investigation saved these victims from further exploitation and shut down a dangerous supplier of drugs in the Lexington area. ATF is proud of our local and federal law enforcement partnerships and the good work that resulted today.”
Assistant Attorney General Dreiband; U.S. Attorney Duncan; FBI SAC Brown; ATF SAC Morrow; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the conviction.
This case was investigated by FBI, ATF and the Lexington Police Department. The United States is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hydee Hawkins for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Special Litigation Counsel Matthew Grady for the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Bixler will be sentenced on December 29, 2020. He faces a minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, as well as mandatory restitution to the sex trafficking victims. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Lexington Man Convicted of Multiple Counts of Sex and Drug Trafficking and Related Offenses, Including Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
After a 7-day trial, a federal jury in Frankfurt, Kentucky, found Prince Bixler, 41, of Lexington, Kentucky, guilty of charges related to his extensive and violent sex and drug trafficking operation that sold crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines throughout the Lexington area and forced young, drug-addicted women to prostitute.
After deliberating for six and a half hours, the jury convicted the defendant of four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, two counts of tampering with a witness, victim or an informant, one count of operating an unlawful prostitution business enterprise, six counts of distributing controlled substances including crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, and three counts of being a felon in possession with a firearm.
“This defendant used violence and threats of violence to create a climate of fear to trap these young women, while at the same time increasing their dependence on him by feeding them with illegal drugs to take advantage of their addictions to crack cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “Human traffickers are adept at exploiting victims’ drug addictions and using coercive tactics to intimidate and compel their services. There can be no place in our society for criminal conduct like this defendant’s, and the U.S. Department of Justice will continue its to prosecute human traffickers to the fullest extent of the law, prevent them from harming others, and seek justice for the victims of these terrible crimes.”
“The hard work, dedication, and cooperation of law enforcement from state and federal agencies have made our community safer and brought some measure of justice to the victims of Prince Bixler,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “His conduct was truly despicable, and will serve to strengthen our resolve to combat the destructive exploitation of human traffickers. I commend the members of the investigative and prosecution teams for their committed work in prosecuting this case.”
“Today’s conviction is yet another example of the FBI’s commitment to bring justice to those who exploit the most vulnerable members of our community,” said James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office. “When human beings are treated as commodities, they are not only being abused physically, but emotionally and financially. FBI Louisville will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and disrupt those who engage in human trafficking.”
“Human trafficking is a violent crime with victims whose fear of reprisal often keeps them from getting help,” stated Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Louisville Division. “What began as a drug and firearms investigation saved these victims from further exploitation and shut down a dangerous supplier of drugs in the Lexington area. ATF is proud of our local and federal law enforcement partnerships and the good work that resulted today.”
Evidence presented at trial, including the testimony of four victims, established that defendant Prince Bixler compelled four victims into prostitution between 2013 and March 2018 by physically assaulting them and others, and weakening the victims by worsening their addictions to crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. The defendant also sold crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine throughout the Lexington area to numerous customers. The Lexington Police Department executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in March 2018, which led to the recovery of numerous firearms. The defendant, a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing these and other firearms. As the investigation into the defendant’s illegal conduct continued throughout 2018 into 2019, he became aware that multiple potential witnesses were subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury in Lexington. The defendant threatened one witness with physical violence in an attempt to dissuade her from testifying truthfully before the grand jury. The defendant also repeatedly called and harassed another witness on the eve of her scheduled grand jury appearance in an attempt to prevent her from testifying truthfully before the grand jury.
A sentencing date has not been scheduled at this time, but it will occur before District Court Judge Robert E. Wier. The defendant faces a minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, as well as mandatory restitution to the sex trafficking victims.
This case was investigated by the Lexington FBI office, the Lexington ATF office, and the Lexington Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hydee Hawkins for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Special Litigation Counsel Matthew Grady for the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Armed Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. - A Blacksburg, South Carolina man, Joe Barlow Owens, 44, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison on Wednesday, before U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
In his prior guilty plea, Owens admitted that he committed both offenses on February 25, 2019, in Knox County. According to his guilty plea agreement, law enforcement officials searched his vehicle and found over 700 grams of methamphetamine, cash, and a loaded firearm, which Owens admitted was to protect his drugs and drug proceeds. Owens also admitted that he knew he had a prior felony conviction, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Owens pleaded guilty in March 2020.
Under federal law, Owens must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jeffrey Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Mike Smith, Knox County Sheriff’s Department, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by DEA and the Knox County Sheriff’s Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Trimble.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Duncan coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Cincinnati Man Pleads Guilty to Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky.- A Cincinnati, Oh., man, Sammie Green, 25, pleaded guilty Friday, before U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning, to carjacking and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to his plea agreement, Green admitted that, on August 15, 2019, he got into a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, during which a pizza delivery driver arrived. The girlfriend and her children fled from Green and asked the delivery driver to call the police. Green further admitted that, as the delivery driver called the police, he fired multiple shots from a handgun. Green then approached the delivery driver, pointed the gun at him, and demanded the keys of his vehicle. When the delivery driver complied, Green admitted to fleeing in the stolen vehicle.
Green was indicted in February 2020.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Michael Helmig, Boone County Sheriff’s Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Boone County Sheriff’s Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow and Tony Bracke.
Green is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2020. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the carjacking charge and a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment for the discharging of a firearm charge. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
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Newport Optometry Practice Settles ADA ComplaintRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The federal government and a Newport-based optometry practice have reached a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), to remove barriers to access for patients with disabilities.
The settlement results from an investigation that was initiated by a complaint from a patient, who was unable to enter exam rooms during her appointment at Opticare Vision Centers in Newport, Kentucky, because she was using a wheelchair. As part of the settlement, Opticare has agreed to construct a new exam room that will be accessible to patients using wheelchairs. The ADA prohibits places of public of accommodation, including the professional offices of health care providers, from discriminating against individuals with disabilities and requires them to remove architectural barriers to access.
“Investigations of ADA complaints are critical tools in preventing impediments to people’s access to public spaces, especially their access to healthcare services and facilities,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “We will continue our efforts to protect proper access to public spaces, and we appreciate Opticare’s assistance in resolving this complaint and investigation.”
This matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Pond as part of the office’s civil rights program and the Department of Justice’s Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, a partnership of the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s offices across the nation, to target enforcement efforts on the critical area of health care for individuals with disabilities.
The year 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the ADA. The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the nation’s goal of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. The Department will continue to use its enforcement and technical assistance tools to eliminate unlawful discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
The Department has a number of publications available to assist entities to comply with the ADA, including publications specific to health care providers, as well as publications about tax credits available for providing access. For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit www.ada.gov. For more information on the Barrier Free Health Care Initiative visit www.ada.gov/usao-agreements.htm. Those interested in finding out more about these settlements or the obligations of public accommodations under the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line, at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or access its ADA website at www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed by email, by sending them to [email protected].
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Lexington Man Sentenced to 80 Months for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Lexington, Ky., man, Andrew Maurice King, 29, was sentenced in federal court on Monday, to 80 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for trafficking 10 grams or more of valerylfentanyl and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to his plea agreement, King admitted that on May 30, 2019, Lexington Police Department officers found significant quantities of marijuana, oxycodone, fentanyl, and valerylfentanyl; approximately $2,900 in cash; scales and packaging; and a Romarm SKS rifle, in his residence. King admitted that he possessed the valerylfentanyl with the intent to distribute and that he was a convicted felon, prohibiting him from possessing the firearm.
King pleaded guilty in May 2020.
Under federal law, King must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jeffrey Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Lexington Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kiebler.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF) Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), a Department of Justice initiative designed to target trafficking of dangerous synthetic opioids.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Former Bank President Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A former bank president admitted in federal court on Wednesday that he embezzled from the Kentucky bank where he was the president.
Thomas Hinkebein, 59, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement by a bank officer, before United States District Chief Judge Danny C. Reeves. Hinkebein admitted that, between January 12, 2016 and August 13, 2018 and while he was the President of Whitaker Bank, he willfully misapplied assets of the bank. Specifically, he admitted stealing golf carts and other property of Andover Country Club, an asset owned by Whitaker Bank, and seeking reimbursement from Whitaker Bank for a variety of personal expenses, including cell phone plans, gym memberships, fuel purchases, vehicle repairs, technology purchases for his family members, shipping expenses, and landscaping at his home. To hide the personal nature of these expenses, the Defendant falsely reported many of the expenses to Whitaker Bank to make them appear to be legitimate work expenses.
Hinkebein was charged by way of information, waiving his right to indictment by a federal grand jury.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Crawford, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Investigations, Chicago Region; and Stephen Donnelly, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Eastern Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FDIC and the Federal Reserve. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate K. Smith.
Hinkebein is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2020. He faces up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal statutes.
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Lexington Couple Plead Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Sierra Monique Green, 24, and Martinus Shamar Watts, 31, both of Lexington, have pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to conspiring with others to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to court records, including Green’s plea agreement, from March 2019 until September 2019, Martinus Watts, Green, , and Karmon Jamel Watts, 26, conspired to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. Additionally, on March 20, 2019, Martinus Watts and Green delivered approximately one-half gram of fentanyl to a victim. The victim ingested a portion of the substance and lost consciousness. First responders arrived shortly thereafter to find the victim not breathing. After administering several doses of Narcan, the victim was revived, received medical treatment and survived the overdose.
On June 20, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence shared by Martinus Watts and Green. Officers located $67,000 in U.S. currency, 2 loaded firearms, and various controlled substances. In their plea agreements, both Watts and Green admitted that the currency was the proceeds of their drug trafficking activity.
Martinus Watts pleaded guilty in August 2020, and Green entered her guilty plea yesterday. Karmon Jamel Watts pleaded guilty in May 2020.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jeffrey Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Todd Bradbury.
Martinus Shamar Watts is scheduled to be sentenced on November 19, 2020. Green is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2020. Each face a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison for the crime of distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years for the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl charge. Karmon Watts faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment for the fentanyl conspiracy. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a focused enforcement effort that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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Berea Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Berea, Ky., man, Larry Dale Foley, Jr., 48, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday, before Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.
According to Foley’s plea agreement and other court records, a tip submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, from Tumblr, showed that a blog that Foley owned had distributed 46 images and two videos of child pornography. On January 6, 2020, law enforcement searched Foley’s residence and seized electronic devices that contained child pornography. Foley was arrested and has been held in federal custody since that time.
The devices seized were processed and showed that Foley had produced child pornography of himself and a female minor, in the form of videos and still images. In his guilty plea agreement, Foley admitted to knowing that the images and videos he created with the minor victim were produced using materials that were shared via computer and cell phone.
Foley was indicted in February 2020.
“Make no mistake, the production of child pornography is a violent crime, subjecting the victim to physical and emotional abuse when it is made and then continuing that abuse each and every time it is shared,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Protecting vulnerable victims from this type of unspeakable harm is of the highest priorities for law enforcement. I commend the outstanding investigative efforts of the FBI and the Berea Police Department that resulted in the defendant’s conviction.”
“The impact on children of being abused and exploited is life-long,” said James Robert Brown Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office. “Those who prey on the vulnerability of children should know that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will never stop working to put them behind bars.”
U.S. Attorney Duncan, SAC Brown; and Chief Eric Scott, Berea Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Berea Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Marye.
Foley is scheduled to be sentenced in December 2020. He faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Maysville Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of MinorRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. - A Maysville, Ky., man, William Scott Smith, 39, pleaded guilty on Monday, before U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to attempted enticement of a minor.
According to his plea agreement, on September 9, 2019, law enforcement received information that Smith was attempting to solicit a minor female victim for sex. The following day, law enforcement created a fake Facebook profile, for a 14-year-old female, and sent Scott a friend request. Scott accepted the friend request and initiated a conversation with an undercover officer who was posing as the minor. Scott engaged in a graphic conversation with the minor, inquiring about her age and sexual experience. Scott then arranged to meet the minor at a public library to have sex. When he arrived for the meeting, he was arrested.
Scott was indicted in February 2020.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Jared Muse, Maysville Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Maysville Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elaine Leonhard and Jennifer Weinhold.
Scott is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2020. He faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Lexington Man Sentenced to 140 Months for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Lexington, Ky., man, Tyzon Zavonne Edwards, 22, was sentenced in federal court on Monday, to 140 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams of or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, on October 1, 2019, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and identified Edwards, who had a warrant out for his arrest, as a passenger. The vehicle fled from police, eventually stopping to allow Edwards to get out and flee on foot. Edwards admitted that while running from police, he hid a bag containing 91.5 grams of fentanyl and a loaded .40 caliber pistol, in a recycling bin. Edwards further admitted that he knowingly possessed the fentanyl with intent of distributing it to others and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
Edwards pleaded guilty in May 2020.
“Armed drug traffickers like Tyzon Edwards present a real danger to the community, especially when they flee from the police while in possession of more than 90 grams of deadly fentanyl and a loaded pistol,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “In coordination with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to prosecute cases like this, in our efforts to reduce violent crime and hold dangerous offenders accountable for their conduct.”
Edwards was also ordered to pay a $2,000 fine. Under federal law, Edwards must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by ATF, and Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Villalobos.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Whitesburg Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. - A Whitesburg, Ky., woman, Sherry Thomas, 50, pleaded guilty on Thursday, before U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, admitting to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to her plea agreement, Thomas was employed as the office manager and bookkeeper for the Carbon River Coal Corporation, from the 1980s until January 2019. While working there, rather than paying the appropriate expenses and taxes for the Corporation, Thomas engaged in a scheme to defraud the Corporation of its funds. Specifically, between July 18, 2013 and November 21, 2018, Thomas wrote 173 checks to herself, from the Corporation’s accounts, totaling $238,052.23, and deposited them into her personal account. In writing the checks, Thomas forged the signature stamp of the Vice President of the Corporation, without his permission.
Thomas was indicted in December 2019.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigations and the Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Rabold.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2020. She faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud, a minimum of two years consecutive for the identity theft, and a maximum fine of $500,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Maysville Man Sentenced to 300 Months for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Maysville, Kentucky man, Shane A. Fox, 39, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison on Friday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine and possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute.
According to his plea agreement, Fox was the leader of a conspiracy that obtained approximately 15 kilograms of powder cocaine, converted the bulk of it to crack cocaine, and then distributed the substance in the Maysville, Kentucky area, between 2017 and June 24, 2019. Fox had five prior felony convictions for drug offenses at the time of these offenses and committed his current offense of conviction while on parole.
Other members of the conspiracy have already been sentenced for their roles: Jackson Bennett was sentenced to 120 months; Demarcus Gibbs was sentenced to 120 months; Robert Turner was sentenced to 66 months; Demetrius Morton was sentenced to 60 months; Lyric Holmes was sentenced to 24 months; Melanie Johnson was sentenced to 24 months; And Aireus Johnson was sentenced to 18 months.
Fox pleaded guilty in February of 2020.
Under federal law, Fox must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence and, will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years after his release from prison.
"Shane Fox was the ring-leader of a drug trafficking organization whose purpose was to distribute crack cocaine in and around Maysville,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “The thorough investigation conducted by law enforcement led to the dismantling of Fox’s organization, to its members being held accountable for their criminal acts, and Maysville being made safer. The sentence imposed on Fox was warranted because of his leadership role in the organization and his lengthy criminal history.”
U.S. Attorney Duncan, and Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Detroit Field Division, jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Weinhold and Tony Bracke.
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Lexington Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Lexington man, Raymond Cong Duong, 35, was sentenced on Friday, before U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 180 months in federal prison, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, Lexington Police executed a search warrant at Duong’s residence, on January 22, 2019, seizing 138 grams of fentanyl, 28 grams of methamphetamine, several small baggies of heroin, eight firearms, cash, and drug trafficking paraphernalia. Duong admitted that the illegal narcotics were his and that he sold them to others. He further admitted that he possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
Duong has two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking, one from Jefferson County in 2011 and one from Fayette County in 2012.
Duong pleaded guilty in January 2020.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Division; Commissioner Rodney Brewer, Kentucky State Police; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, ATF, KSP, and Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kiebler.
This is case was prosecuted as part of three Department of Justice initiatives: “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Duncan coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), a partnership with DEA, the Lexington Police Department, the Fayette Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute readily provable fentanyl and fentanyl analogue distribution cases in Fayette County, with the goal of helping reduce overdose deaths caused these deadly drugs.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Lexington Man Convicted of Possession of Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Lexington man was convicted yesterday by a federal jury sitting in Lexington, of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
After 20 minutes of deliberation, following a one-day trial, the jury convicted 29-year-old Terrico W. Williams of the charged offense.
According to testimony at trial, on September 11, 2019, officers with the Lexington Police arrested Williams, on an outstanding warrant. Williams was searched and found to have a loaded, .22 caliber handgun concealed inside his pants. Williams has a previous felony conviction from the Fayette Circuit Court, from 2016, for Manslaughter Second Degree.
Williams was indicted in October 2019.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the verdict.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
Williams will appear for sentencing on December 10, 2020. He faces a maximum of ten years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also a part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
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Middlesboro Man Sentenced to 188 Months for Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky.— Jordan Ryan Turner, 32, of Middlesboro, Kentucky, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison on Tuesday, by United States District Judge Claria Horn Boom, after pleading guilty to using the internet to attempt to persuade, induce, or entice a minor to engage in sexual activity.
According to Turner’s plea agreement, he admitted to using Facebook Messenger and Kik Messenger to persuade and induce minors to produce sexually explicit videos and still images. Turner further admitted that, in March 2018, while employed as a teacher at Bell County High School, he used Facebook Messenger to attempt to convince a minor to send him a sexually explicit photo.
Turner pleaded guilty to the charges in March 2019.
Under federal law, Turner must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years after his release.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Commissioner Rodney Brewer, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the KSP and FBI. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosenberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Floyd County Dentist Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky.- A McDowell, Ky., man, Denver D. Tackett, DMD, 66, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, before U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, to health care fraud.
According to the plea agreement, Tackett, a licensed dentist who owned and operated Tackett Family Dentistry in McDowell, Ky., submitted false and unnecessary claims to Kentucky Medicaid for reimbursement for dental procedures and services performed at his practice. Tackett admitted to performing, and submitting claims for, dental procedures that were not reasonable or necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of a patient’s illness or injury. For example, Tackett submitted claims for “surgical” extractions when he had only performed a “simple” extraction, a lower reimbursing procedure, or a “surgical” extraction was not medically necessary.
In total, Tackett admitted to submitting more than $95,000 in reimbursement claims to Kentucky Medicaid and its fiscal intermediaries for medically unnecessary dental procedures.
As part of his plea agreement, Tackett agreed to permanently surrender his Drug Enforcement Administration registration and agreed to refrain from seeking registration in the future. Without a DEA registration, healthcare professionals are not able to lawfully prescribe controlled substances. Tackett also agreed to pay restitution of at least $70,000, and agreed to a forfeiture money judgement of $20,000.
Tackett was indicted in April 2019 as part of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force initiative.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jeffrey T. Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Daniel Cameron, Kentucky Attorney General, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by DEA, Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, and AHIDTA. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Smith and Assistant Chief Kate Payerle from the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section.
Tackett is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2020. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
The ARPO Strike Force is made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section, prosecutors with the ten U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Appalachian region, and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. The ARPO Strike Force operates out of two hubs based in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, areas, supporting the ten districts that make up the ARPO Strike Force region. In addition, the APRO Strike Force works closely with other state and federal law enforcement agencies, including the Kentucky Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force, which operates in ten districts, has charged more than 70 defendants who are collectively responsible for distributing approximately 50 million pills. Thus far there have been 31 guilty pleas as a result of ARPO Strike Force’s efforts. The ARPO Strike Force is part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force Program, led by the Fraud Section. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for approximately $19 billion. In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-Office of Inspector General, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
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Nigerian National Pleads Guilty in Romance Fraud and Grant Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Nigerian National residing in Indianapolis, Ismaila Fafunmi, pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday, before U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to money laundering charges related to a romance fraud and grant fraud scheme.
According to his plea agreement, Fafunmi admitted that, beginning in June 2018, he worked in conjunction with others, who communicated through online chats, about a scheme to defraud U.S. citizens through a romance scheme. In furtherance of this scheme, Fafunmi and his co-conspirators would set up fake profiles on dating websites profiling American men, often military members. Fafunmi’s co-conspirators would engage in conversations with victims, typically women older than 50, through the dating website, making the victims believe they were in a romantic relationship with the individual in the fictitious profile.
Fafunmi and his co-conspirators would then convince these unsuspecting women to send money for various reasons. One victim of the scheme lived in Kentucky, and sent more than $200,000 to a person she believed to be her boyfriend. In another scheme, Fafunmi received funds from another female over 50, who believed she was being awarded a large grant and had to pay fees up front in order to receive her award.
In either scam, if the victims sent money by bank deposit, the conspirators would create bank accounts, in various names, to retrieve the fraudulent funds. Fafunmi and others would retain a portion of the victim funds, and then converted the remainder to wires transfers, to be sent back to co-conspirators in Nigeria. Victims also sent money in the form of postal money orders to addresses belonging to Fafunmi and his co-conspirators. Fafunmi and his co-conspriators had to convert those funds to wires to be sent back to co-conspirators in Nigeria as well.
Fafunmi was indicted in October 2019.
“Internet-based romance scams and grant fraud scams, like the ones perpetrated here, prey on vulnerable individuals and frequently consist of nothing more than promises that are too good to be true and despicable efforts to cheat people out of their money,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Unfortunately, these scams remain prevalent; so all of us need to remain vigilant when communicating online, especially if we are asked to send money to someone we do not really know. The outstanding work of FBI personnel led to the capture and conviction of the defendant, and allows us to hold these fraudsters accountable for their crimes.”
“Nothing is as painful as a broken heart which makes romance scams particularly egregious,” said James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office. “Fraudsters who target our most vulnerable citizens online will continue to draw the full attention of the FBI.”
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Anderson.
Fafunmi is scheduled to be sentenced on November 19, 2020. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s efforts to identify and prosecute those persons who facilitate elder financial exploitation. The Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Mission, being carried out through the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force, is to seek justice for victims of elder financial exploitation. Anyone who knows someone who may be a victim of an elder financial exploitation, is encouraged to contact law enforcement.
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Knox County Man Convicted of Armed Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. — A Corbin, Ky., man was convicted Friday, by a federal jury sitting in London, of armed methamphetamine trafficking and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
After two hours of deliberation, following a three-day trial, the jury convicted John Helton of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of that conspiracy, possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm by convicted felon. The jury acquitted Helton of possessing a firearm found at his mother’s residence.
The evidence at trial established that, on June 9, 2019, deputies with the Knox and Laurel County Sheriff’s Offices searched the residence that Helton shared with his wife, Anita, seizing over 300 grams of crystal methamphetamine and four firearms, including three that were loaded. Helton then directed his wife to go to his mother’s residence, to get money to bond him out of jail. When law enforcement searched that residence, they found over $8,000 secreted in a closet. A search of a child’s playhouse on the property revealed over 800 grams of additional crystal methamphetamine and another firearm. The Kentucky State Police had previously made a controlled purchase of methamphetamine that was arranged with Helton but delivered by his wife.
Anita Helton previously pled guilty to conspiring with Helton to distribute methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of that offense. Her sentencing is scheduled for November 17, 2020.
Helton is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2021. He faces a statutory minimum of 20 years in prison. Under federal law, Helton must serve 85 percent of his sentence. Helton’s minimum sentence was enhanced as a result of a previous felony conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jeffrey T. Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Rodney Brewer, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; Sheriff Mike Smith, Knox County Sheriff’s Department; and Sheriff John Root, Laurel County Sheriff’s Department, jointly announced the verdict.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, KSP, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew H. Trimble.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
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Breathitt County Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Drug Trafficking and Possession of Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Clayhole, Ky., man, Phillip Lovins, 61, was sentenced in federal court on Friday, to 180 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, after previously pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute Methadone.
According to his plea agreement, in May 2019, law enforcement found Lovins in possession of several boxes of ammunition, a 9 mm. pistol, a 270 caliber rifle, and a plastic bag with 100 Methadone 40 mg tablets. Lovins admitted that he had obtained the Methadone from his supplier, on multiple occasions, and he sold the pills to others. Lovins further admitted that he was a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Lovins pleaded guilty in February 2020. In May 2015, Lovins was convicted of several felonies, including four counts of Trafficking a Controlled Substance, one count of Tampering with Physical Evidence, and one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance, in Breathitt County Circuit Court.
Under federal law, Lovins must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for six years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Rodney Brewer, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Rich Storm, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by ATF, KSP, and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Grant County Man Sentenced to 132 Months for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, KY- A Cornith, Ky., man, Robert Stanton Sexton, 28, was sentenced in federal court on Friday to 132 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for transporting child pornography.
According to his guilty plea agreement, on October 3, 2018, Sexton admitted to using his Tumblr account to upload approximately seven video files depicting prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement interviewed Sexton at his home and he admitted to viewing, downloading, and transporting child pornography. Sexton further admitted that his cell phone contained child pornography, including approximately 20 nude images of a minor girl, with whom he had been exchanging text messages. He also admitted to sending nude images of himself to an additional minor girl, via text messages.
Sexton pleaded guilty in May 2020.
Under federal law, Sexton must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 25 years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jerry Templet, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security- Homeland Security Investigations (DHS-HSI); and Commissioner Rodney Brewer, Kentucky State Police, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by Homeland Security Investigations and Kentucky State Police. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wade Napier.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced to 166 Months for Two Armed Robberies of Lexington PharmacyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, KY- A Lexington man, Michael R. McReynolds Jr., 32, was sentenced to 166 months on Friday, before Chief United States District Judge Danny Reeves, to Hobbs Act robbery and carrying and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to McReynolds’ plea agreement, on September 27, 2019, he robbed the Hubbard & Curry Pharmacy located in Lexington. McReynolds, who was armed with an AK-style firearm, took oxycodone pills, other drugs, and approximately $300. On October 21, 2019, McReynolds again robbed the pharmacy. During the second robbery, McReynolds was again armed with an AK-style firearm, and he stole approximately 500oxycodone pills.
Based on evidence collected, law enforcement officers identified McReynolds as the perpetrator of both robberies. Officers arrested McReynolds at his fiancée’s home on October 21, 2019, and located several of the prescription pills that were stolen during the pharmacy robberies.
As part of his plea agreement, McReynolds admitted to possessing and brandishing a firearm to help facilitate his robberies of the pharmacy.
Under federal law, McReynolds must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Lawrence Weathers, Chief of Police, Lexington Police Department jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was directed by the DEA and Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Villalobos.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The PSN program was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Lexington Man Sentenced to 165 Months for Two CarjackingsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Lexington man, Jody Shipman, 29, was sentenced in federal court on Thursday, to 165 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for carjacking, with the intent to inflict serious bodily harm or death, on two occasions.
Shipman pleaded guilty to two, separate carjackings, in January and February 2019. According to his plea agreement, in January 2019, Shipman approached a Lexington woman at her apartment, demanded her vehicle, phone, and wallet, and threatened her with force. He later used her ATM card at a gas station. Then, in February 2019, Shipman approached a second female victim, at Lexington’s St. Joseph Hospital, forcing her inside her vehicle and driving her to an ATM machine, to withdraw money from her account.
Under federal law, Shipman must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Following his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Division; and Lawrence Weathers, Chief, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Lexington Police Department and ATF. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia T. Rieker.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The PSN program was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Defendants Sentenced for Fraudulent Arson ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. - A Greenup, Kentucky woman, Manjit K. Singh, 49, and her daughter, Harpneet K. Bath, 27, a resident of British Columbia, Canada, were sentenced in federal court on Wednesday, to 18 months and 9 months in prison, respectively, by U.S. District Court Judge David L. Bunning, for conspiring to burn down Singh’s convenience store in Greenup, in order to fraudulently obtain insurance proceeds.
In her plea agreement, Singh admitted to offering a confidential informant $5,000, in January 2020, to burn down the convenience store she owned and operated, Wolf’s Food Mart and Pool Hall, in Greenup. The store was insured by Scottsdale Insurance Company, and Singh intended to burn it down for the purpose of collecting insurance proceeds. Singh acknowledged instructing the informant on how she wanted the arson to be performed, and promised him that he would receive $1,000 up front, and the remaining $4,000 after she received the insurance proceeds from the fraudulent claim of fire loss. Bath admitted to traveling from Canada to Greenup, in order to help her mother commit the fraud. In their plea agreements, both admitted that they met with the informant on the eve of the planned arson. At that meeting, Bath gave him $900 in cash and obtained his bank account information, so she could wire him the remaining funds, once the insurer paid the fraudulent claim. Law enforcement officers disrupted the plot before the arson was committed.
Under federal law, Singh and Bath must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for two years. In addition to their prison sentences, Singh was ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 and Bath a fine of $2,500.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Division; and ?????, Greenup County Sheriff, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Greenup County Sheriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. - A Enville, Tennessee man, Lane Christopher Mikaloff, 52, pleaded guilty in federal court Friday, before U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to Mikaloff’s plea agreement, on January 16, 2019, law enforcement received a call regarding a suspicious person who had purchased two ski masks and a knife from a truck stop in Gallatin County, Ky. Officers responded to the truck stop and located Mikaloff, who admitted to officers he possessed drug paraphernalia. During a search of Mikaloff’s vehicle, officers found a large bag of methamphetamine, nine smaller bags of methamphetamine, approximately five ounces of marijuana, and $1,042 in currency. During the search, Mikaloff fled from the officers on foot. When he was apprehended, Mikaloff was found in possession of additional methamphetamine, in a bag around his neck. All told, Mikaloff was found in possession of 247 grams of methamphetamine. In his plea agreement, Mikaloff admitted he possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
Mikaloff was indicted in September 2019. According to his plea agreement, Mikaloff has prior convictions for aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, felony assault, and rape.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jeffrey T. Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Commissioner Rodney Brewer, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke.
Mikaloff is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4. He potentially faces a minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Northern Kentucky Physician Indicted for Illegal Distribution of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. - Michael J. Grogan, 67, of Lakeside Park, Kentucky, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday, for 257 counts of illegal distribution of controlled substances.
The indictment alleges that, between February 1, 2018 and February 13, 2019, Grogan was the owner and operator of Go Beyond Medicine, a medical clinic located in Crescent Springs, Ky., and Grogan unlawfully distributed and dispensed Schedule II controlled substances, outside the scope of a professional medical practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. According to the indictment, Grogan wrote 257 unlawful prescriptions for Oxycodone.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted jointly, by the DEA, FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force.
Grogan was arraigned on Monday, and his trial date is scheduled for October 26. If convicted, Grogan faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statutes governing the imposition of sentences.
An indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial, at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Former Deputy Jailer Sentenced to 48 Months for Violating the Civil Rights of an InmateRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A former Shelby County Deputy Jailer, William Anthony Carey, 31, was sentenced Monday, to 48 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Gregory F. VanTatenhove, for violating the civil rights of an inmate in his custody.
According to Carey’s guilty plea agreement, Corey Lynn Hopper, 30, and another inmate were incarcerated together at the Shelby County Detention Center, in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Carey, a Deputy Jailer at the time, told Hopper about a personal vendetta he had against the other inmate, and asked Hopper to “take care of” him. That night, while the inmate slept, Hopper and several others beat him, punching and kicking the inmate multiple times. The assault left the victim with severe facial fractures and missing teeth.
Hopper pleaded guilty to his role in the assault, in January 2020, pleading to aiding and abetting a person acting under color of law in willfully depriving an inmate of his right to be free from unreasonable force. Carey pleaded guilty to his role in the assault in March 2019.
Hopper was sentenced on July 15, 2020, receiving 120 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. Upon his release, Carey will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for three years. Under federal law, both must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences.
“The duty of correctional officers is to uphold the law and protect the people within their care,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband, of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. “These actions are not only illegal and morally wrong, they go against the oath this officer took when he entered the job. This division will continue to work to protect the civil rights of all Americans, and vigorously prosecute those who violate them.”
“Excessive and unreasonable force perpetrated by, or directed by, a member of law enforcement is disgraceful and criminal,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “It undermines what our system of justice stands for and it damages the integrity of law enforcement. We have a distinct responsibility to combat it with all the tools available to us. Everyone is entitled to be free of this despicable conduct. I want to commend the FBI for their work in successfully investigating this case, bringing some sense of justice to the victim of this conduct.”
“Because corrections officers have a critical public safety responsibility, the FBI is committed to vigorously pursue civil rights and color of law violations. Through the Kentucky Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force, FBI Louisville will continue to aggressively investigate any public official that abuses those they have been sworn to protect,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown, FBI Louisville Field Office.
Assistant Attorney General Dreiband; U.S. Attorney Duncan; and James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the Public Corruption/Civil Rights Task Force of the Louisville Field Division of the FBI. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hydee Hawkins and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section.
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Florence Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. - A Florence, Kentucky, man, Jeffery Pollard Jr., 26, pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday, before U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to Pollard’s plea agreement, on January 30, 2020, law enforcement stopped a car with Pollard as a passenger. During the traffic stop, law enforcement saw a handgun, which was loaded, on top of a black bag. The bag contained 21.84 grams of methamphetamine and a digital scale. Pollard admitted that the methamphetamine and handgun belonged to him, and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Pollard was indicted in March 2020.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Police Chief Robert Nader, Covington Police Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Covington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Harris.
Pollard is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20. He faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Cincinnati Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. - A Cincinnati man, Dontez Justice, 33, pleaded guilty in federal court Friday, before U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to possession with intent to distribute over five grams of methamphetamine.
According to Justice’s plea agreement, on October 17, 2019, a cooperating source working with DEA arranged a purchase of methamphetamine from Justice. In his plea agreement, Justice admitted that he was en route to deliver the methamphetamine when law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and found the methamphetamine. The methamphetamine seized from Justice was confirmed to be 26.3 grams of actual methamphetamine.
Justice further admitted in his plea agreement that he has two prior drug trafficking convictions, having previously been convicted of trafficking in cocaine in Campbell and Kenton counties.
Justice was indicted in February 2019.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jeffrey T Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Leonhard.
Justice is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20. He faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Montgomery County Man Sentenced to 78 Months for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Mt. Sterling, Kentucky man, Shawn Perkins, 22, was sentenced in federal court on Thursday, to 78 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, possession of a firearm by prohibited person, and using a false statement to purchase a firearm.
According to Perkins’ plea agreement, on October 10, 2018, law enforcement received complaints that Perkins was firing an AR-15 rifle into the field across from his house. When officers arrived at the residence, Perkins was uncooperative; but upon entry into the residence, officers located a Bushmaster AR-15 box, ammunition, a jar of marijuana, and approximately $1,000 in cash. Officers also located a gun case, with an additional seven firearms, assorted ammunition, cash, scales, heroin, various pills, and $3,000 cash.
The Bushmaster AR-15 was located inside the safe and Perkins had purchased the firearm on October 2, 2018. However, on August 9, 2018, Perkins had been denied the ability to purchase the very same firearm, based upon his prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. On the Firearms Transaction Record he filled out when he was allowed to purchase the firearm, Perkins falsely answered that he had never been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of violence. Perkins had been convicted of Assault Fourth Degree Domestic Violence Minor Injury by the Fleming District Court in September 2011.
Perkins also admitted that, on August 28, 2019, while serving the arrest warrant on his indictment, law enforcement officers encountered Perkins, at his home, and found him in possession of 728 oxycodone tablets, a 22 pistol, .38 caliber pistol, scales, and $8,712 in cash.
Perkins pleaded guilty in May 2020.
Under federal law, Perkins must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff David Charles, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by the ATF and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Cincinnati Man Indicted for Distribution of Drugs that Resulted in a DeathRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. - Daniel J. Huegel, 23, of Cincinnati, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Covington, for one count of distributing a controlled substance resulting in death.
The indictment alleges that, on or about March 23, 2020, in Boone County, Ky., Huegel distributed fentanyl, which resulted in the death of the victim.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted jointly, by the DEA and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force.
If convicted, Huegel faces a minimum of 20 years in prison, up to a maximum of life in prison. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statutes governing the imposition of sentences.
An indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial, at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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